A Senate panel voted to recommend Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, which would send his nomination to a full Senate.It was announced just moments after Sen. Rand Paul said that he would support the nomination of Pompeo, which was a last-minute reversal.Pompeo was expected to advance for a full floor vote when Paul was planning to vote against him.Democrats, for their part, have raised concerns with what they view as Pompeo's hawkish posture on foreign policy and lack of willingness to stand up to President Trump, who has a well-documented close relationship with the current CIA chief.But Republicans have countered that the opposition is driven far more by Democratic dislike for the president than the nominee himself. Pompeo, a former congressman who graduated first in his class from the U.S. military academy and received a degree from Harvard law, has moved into a central role in the Trump administration's negotiations with North Korea, secretly meeting with the country's reclusive leader Kim Jong Un earlier in the month. It's something supporters have touted as another example of why Pompeo is ready for the job as the country's top diplomat.As for the full Senate vote, senior GOP aides are comfortable Pompeo will win enough support in his floor vote, after three Democrats said they'll vote for him. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a North Dakota Democrat, is a "yes," which means he'd have the votes if all other Republicans — minus Paul — vote in favor. Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, tweeted Monday that he'd support Pompeo as well. And shortly after, Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana released a statement supporting Pompeo.That means even if Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who has voiced concerns about Pompeo, ends up voting no, Pompeo should still be able to win confirmation.There are two other currently undecided senators who caucus with the Democrats who are viewed as on the fence and possible yes votes: Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine.The Associated Press contributed to this story.

A Senate panel voted to recommend Mike Pompeo as secretary of state, which would send his nomination to a full Senate.

It was announced just moments after Sen. Rand Paul said that he would support the nomination of Pompeo, which was a last-minute reversal.

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Pompeo was expected to advance for a full floor vote when Paul was planning to vote against him.

Democrats, for their part, have raised concerns with what they view as Pompeo's hawkish posture on foreign policy and lack of willingness to stand up to President Trump, who has a well-documented close relationship with the current CIA chief.

But Republicans have countered that the opposition is driven far more by Democratic dislike for the president than the nominee himself. Pompeo, a former congressman who graduated first in his class from the U.S. military academy and received a degree from Harvard law, has moved into a central role in the Trump administration's negotiations with North Korea, secretly meeting with the country's reclusive leader Kim Jong Un earlier in the month. It's something supporters have touted as another example of why Pompeo is ready for the job as the country's top diplomat.

As for the full Senate vote, senior GOP aides are comfortable Pompeo will win enough support in his floor vote, after three Democrats said they'll vote for him. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a North Dakota Democrat, is a "yes," which means he'd have the votes if all other Republicans — minus Paul — vote in favor. Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, tweeted Monday that he'd support Pompeo as well. And shortly after, Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana released a statement supporting Pompeo.

That means even if Sen. Jeff Flake, an Arizona Republican who has voiced concerns about Pompeo, ends up voting no, Pompeo should still be able to win confirmation.

There are two other currently undecided senators who caucus with the Democrats who are viewed as on the fence and possible yes votes: Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine.